Cosmos

[Slug_killer]

Can I keep/protect my cosmos over winter ?



Yes, I know their annuals, but so are dahlias, and they come up year after year. Also, my Friend who's a real garden numpty has a whole bed of them, year after year. I can't believe he grows them from seed each time.

[Slug_killer]

[sarah]

in my own garden cosmos self seed quite freely.

[Slug_killer]

Do the seeds come true ?

Ie does a white flowered plant produce seed that grow into more white flowered plants.

[sarah]

i haven't grown the white ones , the ones i get are usually pink.

[Flighty]

Slug_killer I always let mine self-seed, and sow another couple of packets in the spring. I grow the white one Purity and Candy Stripe which is white with a pinkish-red edging.
The seeds should, and generally, do come true although there always seems to be a few exceptions for some reason!

[shirlton]

Mine seed themselves too

[Susiebelle]

I was going to say yes Sarah but you are in Dorset, but then Shirlton posted from Sutton Coldfield and blew that one out the bag ???

[sarah]

yes that's true i am very southerly. i should have taken that into account.  ;)

[Ceratonia]

Yes, I know their annuals, but so are dahlias, and they come up year after year.

Dahlias aren't really annuals - just that they are sometimes treated as if they are and thown away at the end of the season.

There are perennial Cosmos species, but the ones commonly grown in UK gardens are annuals (other than chocolate cosmos cosmos atrosanguineus which is a perennial.) They will self-seed very easily if left to their own devices.

[Squash64]

I just noticed today that they have self-seeded already and there are half a dozen tiny seedlings growing.  It must be the mild weather, it doesn't usually happen here.
I think they will die when we get a frost though.